Halifax woman celebrates 100th birthday with a drive-by party

For her 100th birthday, Thelma Pierce wanted to mark the occasion with a party at her church with her all her close friends and family, but COVID-19 wouldn’t allow that.

Despite the unusual circumstances surrounding the pandemic, the family got creative and pulled off a drive-by birthday party to celebrate the centennial anniversary.

“I think it’s wonderful,” said Pierce from her front porch. “I mean, it’s too bad we have this virus here so we can’t have more people.”

There were five generations of the family gathered to wish the great-great-grandmother a happy 100th birthday.

Due to COVID-19, Pierce’s daughter, Marilyn Smith, helped organize the birthday drive-by and says this was a new way to come together and celebrate while still respecting the list of public health protocols that are still in place due to the pandemic.

“The family itself is probably going to be here for the duration of the day, keeping our safe distance if we’re not in a bubble,” said Smith.

Cars passed by and honked their horns, as was encouraged by a sign on the front lawn, as the great-great-grandmother waved from the porch.

Some visitors dropped off gifts, leaving them on a table.

“I want to hug you but we can’t,” said Pierce to a relative who left a birthday present near her foot.

“We can’t hug and kiss one another or even hold hands. You’re not supposed to anyway.”

Since the COVID-19 pandemic began and the state of emergency was declared in Nova Scotia on March 22, Thelma has had little to no interaction with friends or family.

“Yesterday was her first day out and I mean out,” said Smith. “March 15th was the last time she was out and it’s quite a privilege, I think, for her to even just see people.”

All the well-wishers who stopped by left with a gift our their own.

An avid knitter, Pierce has kept busy during the pandemic creating dishcloths, more than 700 of which she donates to a summer camp.

“I’m still knitting dishcloths,” she said. “I just keep going but I knit other things too. I knit scarves and caps and mittens.”

As the number of cases of COVID-19 continues to decline across Nova Scotia, some public health restrictions are being lifted, like allowing groups of 10 to gather.

For Pierce, she’s been anxiously waiting for her church to reopen,  and said she’s missed the community and the human interaction that comes with her church.

“It’s too bad we have this virus here so we can’t have more,” said Pierce. “I miss going to church…so we’ll be happy when that’s back.”